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Interactive whiteboards work as a technological follow-up to marker-boards and overhead projection screens. On these whiteboards, users can project images from computer software that they can interact with by touching or writing. Using tools like these can make a presentation to colleagues or potential customers much more interesting and captivating, because these whiteboards allow changes to be made and interactive elements to be incorporated into presentations or lectures. Different whiteboards use different technologies, including touch technology, laser scanning and electromagnetic writing tools, all of which offer different levels of reliability and cost.

Resistive Membrane

One type of whiteboard involves the user of "resistive membranes." Resistive membrane whiteboards consist of a flat projection surface comprised of two pieces of resistive material similar to vinyl. This creates a touch-sensitive surface that can be drawn upon by a finger or a stylus. Movement in the whiteboard is determined by location and pressure on the surface of the whiteboard, which is why both fingers and other hard objects will register movement. A resistive membrane projector can be cost effective at approximately $500 to $1,500 per unit, including software. The soft nature of the surface makes it more prone to damage or marking, however. As such, these types of whiteboards have fallen out of style, in favor of screens made from harder materials.

ElectroMagnetic

Electromagnetic boards work differently than resistive membranes. Rather than detecting pressure, these boards monitor electromagnetic fields. These fields are created by specially designed writing tools. One design of electromagnetic boards uses the frame to monitor the fields, while another uses a wire mesh embedded into the board itself. The whiteboard software registers the location of the field emitted by the stylus to determine what happens on the screen. A normal finger or pointing device will not work with these boards. These boards are more reliable than membrane boards, because there is less delay between user input and software reaction. Also, the hard surface resists damage from hard finger or stylus use. Electromagnetic boards usually cost around $1,500 to $3,000 for software and unit bundles, not including projection hardware.

Laser Scanners

A third design uses laser light, rather than pressure or electromagnetic detectors. Lasers and laser scanners are mounted along the frame of the board. The writer uses a special, reflective felt stylus on the board. This stylus reflects laser light back to the frame and denotes the position and writing action of the stylus. These are the most expensive boards available, due to reliability. Also, the cost of a special stylus can range in excess of $100. Laser units are highly accurate and responsive, while often allowing you to use the board both as a marker board and as an interactive whiteboard that can record and store your writing made in marker, as well as monitoring the use of the interactive stylus. Laser boards can range from a few hundred dollars for self-contained units that attach to pre-existing whiteboards, to more than $3,000 for complete board installations.

Rear versus Short-Throw Projection

Whiteboards also differ in terms of projection capabilities. Short-throw projection boards come equipped with a small projector, usually attached to the frame of the board, that leans over the board and externally projects back onto the board's surface. Rear projection uses an extremely short-throw lens mounted behind the screen, which projects images into a special arrangement or mirror. The projections then appear on a transmission screen. Short-throw typically must be mounted on a wall, while rear projection can work within special cabinets or TV stands.